Cigar-packing machine.



A. GORDON.

CIGARPACKING MACHINE.

APPLIoTYIoN FILED DEQ. 1, 1911.

1,054,642. Patented Feb. 25, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. GORDON.

CIGAR PACKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED No.1. 1 911.

Patented Feb. 25, 1913.

3 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

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@a mm m. @am Hq A. GORDON.

GIGAR PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.1, 1911.

Patented Feb. 25, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Sme/whom COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH Co., WASHINGTON, DA c.

ALEXANDER GORDON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CIGAR-PACKING MACHINE.

To all whom z5 may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER GORDON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of lVayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigar- Packing Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improved means for packing cigars, and its object is to provide a simple and efiicient device for fa.- cilitating the packing of cigars in boxes which device will obviate the liability of injury to the cigars and prevent the boxes from being bulged by the expansion of the cigars after being placed therein.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying the invention; Fig. 2, a similar view showing the same in open position and parts removed; Fig. 3 is a plan view with portions broken away to show the construction; Fig. 4 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, showing the rear side of themachine; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a formed bundle and showing themanner of placing the same in a cigar box; and Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the machine.

It is the usual practice in packing cigars in boxes, to place the cigars direct-ly in the box in superposed rows, the last cigar in each row being forced into place by hand thus often injuring the cigars in so doing, and when sufcient rows have been placed to lill the box, they are pressed down into the box by closing the cover or by a follower. As the cigars are thus compressed within the box itself, when they expand therein, the box or Vits cover will be bulged outwardly, and as the pressure is applied in one direction only, the cigars are more or less fiat- Ytened. The process of placing thecigars in' the box, one at a time, is slow and they are liable to be injured in handling.

To provide for'expansion within the box and to compress the cigars evenly upon all sides, a machine embodying the invention is provided to compress them both vertically and laterally into a bundle, the dimensions of which will be slightly less than the inside dimensions of the box, and while held Specification of Letters Patent.

Application :filed December 1, 1911.

Patented Feb. 25, 1913. Serial No. 663,199.

compressed, the bundle is placed in the box and then released. In the construction shown, this machine comprises a base 1 upon which a table 2 is supported by legs 3 or other means. This table forms the bottom of an adjustable baling or forming box, one side of said former being formed by a fixed vertical side f1 onthe table at its rear edge and adjustable ends 5 are provided to slide on the table longitudinally thereof and are guided and supported byA brackets 6 each having a tongue 7 on its lower side to engage longitudinal slots 8 in the table. The side of the former box opposite the side 4 is open so that cigars may be readily placed between the ends 5 in superposed horizontal rows with their ends abutting said side l and in orderl that the cigars will naturally arrange themselves with the cigars of one row lying opposite the spaces between the cigars of the adjacent rows, corner blocks 9 are secured to the ends 5y in the angles formed by the'meeting of said ends and the table, and these blocks are each substantially equal to the diameter of a cigar in height and one half the di ameter in thickness so that together they take up the space of one cigar in the bottom row and the cigars of the next row above will arrange themselves opposite the'spaces between the cigars of the bottom row with the end cigars of the second row overlying these blocks.

A follower board 10 is provided to iit within the former between the ends 5 .and rest upon the cigars when the desired num ber of rows have been placed. This board is provided with end members 11 which may tudinal slots in side flanges 13 on said mem bers into the edges of the board. When the follower board is in place, a presser yoke 14 is placed thereon and an arm 15 adjustably secured upon a vertical rod or post- 16 is swung laterally over and into'engagement with said yoke. The rod 16 is mounted in a bearing frame 17 secured to the rear face of the wall or side 4 of the table to slide vertically in its bearings on said frame and near its lower end said rod or post carries a roll 18 extending laterally therefrom into engagement with an inclined slot 19 cut in a depending semi-circular flange 20 on a spider 21 whichis carried by a stud 22 journaled in a suitable bearing member 23 mounted on the base 1 beneath the table. The spider is thus supported to be rotated about the axis of the stud 22 by a handle or lever 2a projecting laterally therefrom with the upper end of the spider close to the lower side of the table which is provided with the longitudinal slot 8. slot forms a guide way for two bars 25 to which the brackets 6 are adjustably attached by means of screwbolts 26 passing through longitudinal slots 27` in the brackets and drawing said `bars firmlv against the lower side of the tongues 7 on the brackets. Said bars are provided upon their adjacent ends ywith rollers Q8 to engage cam slots 29 in the spider so that when the spider is turned by means of the handle 24, the rolls traveling in said cam slots will move the barslongitudinally and thus slide the ends 5 toward or from` each other along` the table. At the same time when the spider is so turned, the arm 15 is raised or lowered by the engagement-of the roll 18 with the inclined slot 19 in the flange on the spider and thus a pressure may be put upon the follower board simultaneously with the inward movement of the ends 5 to compress the cigars both vertically and horizontally. Stops 30 are adjustably secured by a bolt 31 and screws 32 to the base 1 to be engaged by the ends of the flange 2O and limit the turning movement of the spider so that the ends 5 will be moved only the desired distance when the spider is turned.

Before the cigars are placed inthe former, a ribbon 33 of fabric or other suitably flexible material is placed therein, lying upon the botto-1n -or table and extending over the ends 5, and after the desired number of cigars have been placed, the follower inserted and the follower and ends moved by the turning'of the handle @il to compressV the cigars into a bundle of the desired form and size, and before the follower is released to release the bundle, the free ends of the ribbon are brought over the follower and made fast to or wrapped around a hook 34 on the top ofthe follower to hold the bundle in compressed form after being released and to lift the same from the form. The follower and bundle are lifted from the former by they operator takinghold of the hook and holding the ends of the ribbon at-the same time, and while held in ythis manner, the

bundle isplaced in the box 35, as illustrated'- in Fig. 5'.v4 After the bundle has been so placed in the box, the ends of the ribbon are released, the follower' removed, and the ribbon then drawn out.

A bundle of theproper size to fit any de-A sired box may be formedl by adjusting the ends 5 relatively to Ithe bars 25, a-scale 36 being provided'on the side l `to aidfinsuchadjustment, and the amountv of compression-= This is determined by the adjustments of the stops 30 which limit the'throw of the spider 21 and the resultant movement of the ends 5. The former is preferably so adjusted as to form a bundle, the dimensions of which are somewhat less than the internal dimensions of the box to be filled so that the box or its cover will not be bulged by the expansion of the cigars, and a very neat appearing package will be assured.

As the former is open at one side, the cigars may be placedftherein with ease and facility and without danger of injury, as the desired number fit'loosely therein when the former is in open position. `By a single movement of the handle, the cigars are compressed into a perfect bundle which is held and removed fro-m the former by the ribbon and follower.

Obviously, changes in the form and construction of the device may be made with'- out departing from the spiritI of the invention and I do not wish to limit myself to the particular arrangement shown.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is i 1. In a `device of the character described, the combination of a forming box ,compris ing a table, a fixed side at one edge of said table and ends movable longitudinally of the table toward and from each other, a follower in the upper open side of the box, a vertically movable member extending over the follower to move the same, -a cam memthe combination of a forming box comprising a table having a` longitudinal slot, a fixed side and movable ends, bars engaging said slot and attached to said ends, a vertically movable inember,'`a follower in said box, an arm extending `laterally from said member over said follower, a rotatable member beneath the table `and 'provided-with cam slots and an inclined slot, `means on the vertically movable @member engaging said inclined slot, and means on said bars engagl 'ing the cam slots.

3. In a device ofthe character described, the combination of* a forming box having movable ends, a follower to't within 'said box, a member beneath the box rotatable upon ay vertical axis and havingcam slots 'and a. depending flange rformed with `an inclined slot, lmeans engaging said -cam slots and v`connectedto said `endsv to` move. the

saine, a vertically movable'member ataone side of said box, an arm on said member extending laterally therefrom over said follower, and means on said member engaging said inclined slot.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a forming box comprising a table having a longitudinal slot, a fixed side at one edge of said table and ends movable longitudinally of said table, bars guided in said slot and adjustably secured to said ends, a bearing member secured to the fixed side, a vertically movable member mounted in bearings o-nsaid bearing member, an arm adjustably attached to said vertically movable member and extending laterally over said box, a follower in said box actuated by said arm, a rotatable spider beneath the table having cam slots and adepending flange having an inclined slot, a

roll on the vertically movable member engaging the inclined slots, rolls on said bars engaging the cam slots, a handle to rotate said spider, and adjustable sto-ps to limit the rotation of said spider.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence ot two witnesses.

ALEXANDER GORDON. VVitnesseS:

DARWIN T. SMITH, HENRY A. GORDON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

